Give Me Back Whats Mine ➳ David Dobrik

Chapter Twenty Three ➳ She's The Sun, I'm The One Whose Transfixed

DAVID

Every muscle in my body felt worn. But in a good way.

I somehow always forgot how much I liked snowboarding.

It wasn't so much the act of it. That was fun in itself. But the comforting weariness that came after was always the part I liked best. It was kind of like good sex in that way.

It was getting home after a day in the snow, having a hot shower, getting into fresh sweatpants and a hoodie, and sitting around the fire with a drink. Your body felt slightly lethargic, and your mind ran slow.

A knock at my door broke me out of my sluggish contemplation, just as I was putting socks on my feet.

'Come in.' I said, standing up from my bed.

Jeff opened the door and stuck his head in. 'Nat wanted me to tell you that the Chef is here if you want to film.'

We'd hired a private chef to cook us dinner on our last night here so that we could all just enjoy ourselves.

'Oh, nah. I think I'm just going to chill tonight. Thank you though.'

Jeff nodded, a contemplative look on his face.

He was a funny one Jeff, though he often had this front for being tough and uncaring, he was the complete opposite and every so often he would walk around with his emotions plastered right across his face.

This was one of those moments, and I could tell that whatever he was about to say, I might not like.  

He let himself into my room fully, quietly closing the door behind him.

'What's up man?' I asked, sitting back down on the edge of my bed.

'So ... Natalie and Fletcher.'

I'd been right, I didn't like it.

'Yeah ...' I tried to find the right words, but the conversation suddenly felt like a minefield. 

'How are you, you know, feeling ... about it?'

I couldn't help but laugh at the strained question, the one that matched the equally strained look on his face.

'I'm ... good man.' I said. 'Happy for her.'

And a part of me was. The part of me that had been in Natalie's corner since I was eight. But the rest of me hurt. I just didn't know how to say that to Jeff.

'Are you sure?' He asked, his eyes scanning my face. 'I mean we haven't really brought this up since we spoke about it in Vegas, but like, you did kind of flip out when you saw her leave with Riley that night and you did tell me you guys kissed on New Year's.'

I'd tried my best to block that conversation out of my mind.

The whole thing felt less dangerous when it was just me and Natalie. Like nobody could get hurt. But Jeff felt slightly like a liability. I had to keep reminding myself of why I'd chosen him to confide in that night. I knew he wouldn't tell anyone. But there was still apart of me that felt like Jeffs involvement made the situation one hundred times more fragile.

'Dude.' I smiled. 'Don't worry about it, that was just ... it was nothing. I'm over it. She's over it. No story. No worries.' I hoped I sounded somewhat convincing.

Jeff just shook his head. 'Alright man, I won't bring it up again. Just wanted to check in.'

I nodded. 'I appreciate it.'

Jeff turned to leave, his hand on the doorknob. 'You know ...' He started, turning back to face me. 'I used to have a crush on Natalie.'

I laughed. 'Yeah man, everyone knows that.'